MX Belgium: Too Mons or not too Mons?
We already knew that Belgium is a surreal country, but last week we were reminded of it again. Last week this column was about the fact that organizing a motocross race in Wallonia is also becoming increasingly difficult. The unexpected cancellation of the Radson Trophy opener that was scheduled for April 1 in Mons in particular raised eyebrows. A week later, things are somewhat different. The sudden cancellation of an established event has caused a stir in Mons and the surrounding area and now the MET has given permission to organize a motocross competition. In fact, the RMAMC will have to organize whether 'le bois brûlé' and the Route de Wallonie can still be used in the future. But because the international calendar is crowded, the first available date was Sunday, May 27. That conscious 27e May, Pentecost Sunday there is no major competition planned in the Benelux, but there will be the next day. Because on May 28, the RES circuit in Axel will be the scene of a round of the ONK Motocross for the first time.
And that set off another alarm in Flanders. Host René Deboeck said what it was all about during the BK press conference on Wednesday evening. Deboeck suggested that, in that case, Mons organize a match outside the championship. Something that people in Di Rupo's city are probably not looking forward to. Firstly, because a BK designation is still more prestigious and better for the image towards the region and local authorities. And that is an element that has probably played a role in reversing the MET's decision in recent weeks. That probably wouldn't have happened for a normal international motocross. But for a 'Championnat de Belgique, ça alors...'. And there is also the fact that without the intervention of series sponsors Radson and Monster Energy, the RMAMC may miss out on a lot of sponsorship money. The board of directors of the Belgian Motorcyclists' Union will meet next Wednesday and a decision will have to be made there. Expect that the Walloon lobby will do everything it can to ensure that Mons does not fall by the wayside (understand the BK).
BC coordinator René Deboeck had a second track on Wednesday evening. Because he doubted whether certain riders and teams would take action in Mons one day before Axel, he proposed the introduction of a cancellation result. Now there are some pros and cons for a cancellation results system, but in this case the balance will tilt more towards the pro side. By the way, I personally think that most Flemish cross enthusiasts will rather head to Axel on Pentecost Monday than to go to Mons on Pentecost Sunday. Although the real die-hards will of course be present at both events.
With the exception of the GP toppers, I think that the Mons-Axel sequence should not cause any problems for most riders. They are both sand circuits and that roughly means that you can drive with the same settings and that you will only need sand tracks that weekend. Moreover, most amateur motocross riders will also ride two days in a row that weekend, so we can assume that something like this should certainly not be a problem for someone who wants to ride at a national level. We did the math and the distance between Le Bois brûlé and the RES circuit is not even 150 km. Via Brussels and Ghent you drive from Mons to Axel in exactly one and a half hours. For riders who complain about a lack of competitions, it will be a nice Pentecost weekend.
BJ
GALLERY: CDS Images
Also to read
Perfect weekend for Maxi Nagl
The second race of the ADAC MX Masters was dominated by Maxi Nagl. The KMP Honda rider managed to triumph in three heats on the Dreetz circuit. Second place is…Kooiker wins everything, Mesters in the lead
The second match of the ADAC Youngster Cup was won by Dave Kooiker. The KTM rider managed to win all three heats on the Dreetz circuit. …VIDEO: Nancy van de Ven explains her work for MXGP Academy
During the MXGP of Spain, an MXGP Academy was held to guide young motocross riders. Nancy van de Ven hung up her helmet and is now an official…Ernecker wins again, Gregoire second!
Maximilian Ernecker (F4E GasGas) also won the second race of the ADAC Junior Cup 125cc in Dreetz. The Austrian managed to win both heats. Dean Gregoire (Schmicker Racing-KTM) became…
Your reactions